Xvn 



HARVEST-SPIDERS 



441 



Members of this .group vary considerably in habit. The best 

 known forms are exceedingly active, and trust to their speed in 

 endeavouring to escape from danger, at tin-, same time emitting 

 an odorous fluid from two apertures situated just above the coxae 

 of the first pair of legs. These active Harvestmen are only 

 found in the mature 

 state at certain seasons 

 of the year, and are 

 believed, therefore, to 

 live only for a single 

 season. Slow - moving 

 forms, like the Nemasto- 

 matidae and the Trogu- 

 lidae, which live amidst 

 grass and herbage, have 

 a much longer duration 

 of life. In danger they 

 remain perfectly still, 

 and trust to their 

 earthy appearance to 

 escape observation. 



They are stated to 

 be extremely thirsty 

 animals, and have been 

 ol (served drinking from 

 the dewdrops on her- 

 bage. It is probably 

 on this account that 

 they are sometimes seen 

 attacking juicy vege- 

 table matter, for with- 

 out doubt they are essentially carnivorous. The larvae of 

 insects, young spiders, miles, and myriapods are tlieir ciisloman 

 food. It is not requisite that the prey should be alive, hut the\ 

 will not touch anything mouldy. 



Notwithstanding their apparently weak mouth-partSj they do 

 not merely suck the juices of their \ id iins, hut masticate and 

 -\\allow solid particles. Cannibalism is frequently obser\ed 



Fit;. '220. ()Hiilni>ltiifi 



(Attri 



among them. 



The males right fiercely with one another at the 



breeding 



